Tiger Time News
January 22 - January 26, 2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Principal Schilleci
Dear O.C. Taylor Families,
I hope you all had a great weekend! We have quite a few events coming up beginning with our 100th Day of School on February 2nd for our Kindergarteners. We will be sharing additional information next weekend with you on that along with information on Valentine's Day Parties, Snow Hill, and our Kinder Rodeo parade which are all approaching in February.
Please keep an eye out for that information and look through the newsletter carefully! We are excited to have another great week at OCT!!
Best,
Principal Schilleci
Schilleci's Weekly News
REPEAT UPDATES:
FASTPASS February 2, 100th Day of School Parade: If you are planning to come to the 100th Day of School Parade for your Kinder student on February 2nd, please fill out this FastPass by midnight on January 30th. We also will be planning to have the parade outdoors if weather permits (similar to our book character parade). The map for the parade will be shared next week along with our alternate plan for bad weather.
Science Instructional Materials - Community Review and Feedback: Please share this flyer detailing the community's opportunity to review the science instructional materials that are being considered for adoption.
BUSINESS SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY: We need your help to renew our student pickup process! Do you currently own an independent business or franchise and are looking for a great advertising opportunity? Our school is looking to renew our SmartDismissal program for after school pickup. The program includes software that utilizes a numbered car tag which hangs from the rear-view mirror of the vehicle that picks up a student after school. The sponsorship opportunity is found on the driver-facing side of the hang tag and the exposure from this ad (which can be split between two businesses) will be seen everyday by parents and guardians in the carpool line. Your sponsorship will help us continue to streamline after school dismissal and keep your students safe. We also believe these car hang tags will drive more patrons to choose your business! Please let Gene Guinane know if you would like to learn more about sponsoring our school's car tags for the 2024/2025 school year.
SNOW HILL- OCT Dad's Club Annual Snow Hill date has been changed to February 24th! We are excited to sled, slide, and enjoy some manufactured snow with you all! Please click on the link for more details!
REPEAT UPDATES:
ATTENDANCE REMINDER- This year attendance is being very strict at the District level, if your student is going to be absent for any reason, please either fill out an Absence Request in Skyward or email paola.cervantes@gcisd.net, no need to call the office. Thank you so much!
OCT PTA- Do not forget to scroll all the way to the bottom of this Tiger Time News and read the OCT PTA section! Information about upcoming events will be there as well as fundraising opportunities and more!
2023-2024 PARENT STUDENT HANDBOOK- The 2023-2024 Parent Student Handbook is now available! Here is the link.
GRADE LEVEL NEWSLETTERS
Please read your child's grade level newsletter by clicking on the grade to the right.
Important Upcoming Dates:
1/15 - Holiday - No School
1/17 - 3:00 - 3:45 Yearbook
1/18 - 3:00 - 4:00 Choir
1/22 - 3:00 - 3:45 Student Council
1/24 - 3:00 - 3:45 Yearbook
1/25 - 3:00 - 4:00 Choir
1/31 - 3:00 - 3:45 Yearbook
PLEASE READ
Important Updates
STUDENT EARLY PICK UP: If you are picking up a student during the day for appointments, etc, please email Gene Guinane (gene.guinane@gcisd.net) and Paola Cervantes (paola.cervantes@gcisd.net) ahead of time. Students will be called once you arrive in the front office.
OCT ALL STARS OF THE MONTH- Congratulations to Ali Koenig, Kim Knudson, Johanna Quinn, Gabby Haynes, Jessica Fournerat, and Kelly Wommack who were names the OCT All Star Teachers and Paraprofessional of the Month for November and December! Thank you for everything that you do each day for our Tigers!!
ATTENDANCE REMINDER- This year attendance is being very strict at the District level, if your student is going to be absent for any reason, please either fill out an Absence Request in Skyward or email paola.cervantes@gcisd.net, no need to call the office. Thank you so much!
FORGET-ME-NOT-SHELF AT OCT: As a reminder, please drop off students' belongings that are needed for instructional purposes or lunch. Please make sure to label your child's belongings and place them on the designated grade-level shelf. We are having an increase of items being dropped off. Our staff and students make every effort to check, but we appreciate your understanding if items aren't retrieved. Thank you for helping your child be prepared each day with their charged devices, lunches, and other needed items.
REPEATED INFORMATION:
1. CAFETERIA MENUS: Menus can be viewed here. child.nutrition@gcisd.net.
2. VOLUNTEER BACKGROUND CHECK: Our school runs on our amazing volunteers. In order to volunteer at the school, one must complete the District's Volunteer Background Check Application for the 2023-24 school year. Also, please read and sign the Volunteer Handbook included in the link as well. As a reminder, all volunteers are required to reapply each year.
3. LUNCH WITH YOUR CHILD: If you plan to have lunch with your child at OCT, we kindly request that you let your teacher know 24 hours in advance. If not, you may have to wait a while while we try to retrieve your child from the building.
4. CONVEY TO YOUR CHILD THE DAILY PICK UP PLAN: Now is a good time to establish the morning routine of telling your child how he/she will be going home at the end of the school day: bus rider, daycare rider, car rider, or independent walker/bike rider. Please do not instruct your child to call you after school. Our teachers and front office staff are responsible for many children and are required to be on after-school duty. They are unable to assist your child with phone calls.
5. CHECKING OUT A STUDENT EARLY: If you decide to come to school to check out your child before the 3:00 p.m. GCISD elementary dismissal time, please allow us plenty of time to locate your child. It takes a while to locate students in a building as they are not always in their classroom. If you send a note requesting an early dismissal with your student in the morning, you will help eliminate the time spent waiting for us to locate your student. Also, we kindly ask if you need to pick up a child before our 3:00 p.m. dismissal, please do so before 2:30 p.m.
6. CHANGE IN DISMISSAL OR PICK UP: If you find your child must go home a different way than planned, please notify the office by a phone call by at least 2:00 p.m. Teachers and our front office staff do not always have access to email or are busy teaching or helping others. A phone call is required. Sometimes we have only one person in the front office, so we want to provide ample time to be able to meet your needs.
Assistant Principal, Allison Bailey
Bailey's Briefings
O. C. Taylor Interim Updates:
Most of our students in grades 3-5 completed Interims last week. If your child was absent, make-up interims will be provided this week. Interim Assessments provide us with the probability for students to meet the passing standard on the spring STAAR tests in April. Although data and individual results are not shared with families, staff and campus leadership review the results and analyze the data for areas for growth in specific skill sets for individual students. This helps our grade level teachers plan for intervention and instruction over the next few months.
Spring 2024 Testing Information (grades 3-5 only):
Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 will participate in STAAR assessments in April this year. Parents can log in to the Cambium website to view STAAR Practice Test Sessions. A variety of practice items from 2018-2023 will be available. STAAR Redesign and New Item Types are also available.Follow the directions below:
Go to https://www.texasassessment.gov/practice-tests.html and find the section titled “Online Practice Tests.”
Click the tile/card titled “Practice Tests Login.”
Sign in as a “Guest User” for a “Guest Session.”
Click the green “Sign In” button on the screen.
Choose the grade level and select the preferred test.
Kindly,
Assistant Principal Bailey
Counselor, Stacy Whisman
Whisman's Words
My name is Stacy Whisman, and I am the counselor at OC Taylor. I have a section in the Parent Tiger Den each week, Student Assistance, that is updated with our monthly guidance theme, important dates of upcoming events and links to get in touch with me for any student needs and concerns.
Please don't hesitate to reach out!
PLAY IT SAFE 2024 information was emailed out through SKYWARD this year. Please click here to see the information about the Parent Preview Zoom, LINKS to the videos (PASSWORD IS GC24), and the OPT IN/ OPT OUT form for your student/s to participate this year. The Play it Safe Preview held on January 9th was recorded and available to view HERE.
Mrs. Whisman
(817) 305-4880
Nurse, Katy Faught
Nurse Katy's News
CLINIC DONATIONS: I am in need of a few items in the clinic. If you can help out in any way, it would be much appreciated. :)
-SCENTED baby wipes, individual Goldfish packets, travel size deodorants, travel size toothpaste
POP TABS DONATIONS: We are collecting pop tops again! This is an easy way we can help support the families at Ronald McDonald House. Have your students bring in all kinds of pop tops and tabs! There is labeled bucket in the clinic for donations. :)
LION'S CLUB RECYCLE FOR SIGHT PROGRAM: This is another way we can be servant leaders. Donate any old eyeglasses/lenses/cases! There are collection boxes in the front vestibule and in the front office. Most of the recycled glasses are sorted and distributed to people in need in developing countries where they will have the greatest impact.
WHEN TO STAY HOME: Students must stay home from school if any of the following are present:
● fever of 100 degrees or higher in the past 24 hours
● vomiting and/or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
● itchy, red eyes with discharge
● unknown rash
● jaundice
● ringworm of the scalp (until treatment has begun)
GCISD has a 24-hour policy related to stomach illness or fever. Students may not return to school until free of fever, vomiting, and/or diarrhea for a minimum of 24 hours without the aid of any medication. If your student is sent home from school with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, you must still abide by the 24-hour policy, and keep your child home for a minimum of 24 hours after symptoms have subsided without the aid of medication.
Ms. Morgan
Morgan's Art Message
O.C. Taylor Specials’ Curriculum Update, January 2024
O. C. Taylor Yearbooks on Sale!
You can order a yearbook and create an Ad/ dedication page online at yearbookordercenter.com. The order number for O. C. Taylor is 17833.
Last day to purchase and create an Ad/ dedication page is March 8th.
Last day to pre-order a Yearbook is April 13th.
Keep on creating,
Mrs. Morgan
cristie.morgan@gcisd.net
Ms. Vencill
Vencill's Voice
O.C. Taylor Specials’ Curriculum Update, January 2024
5th Grade Students/Parents: For those students attending CTMS next year, you can find CTMS Band Information here. I will share CMS band information when I receive it.
Upcoming programs:
Friday, Feb. 23: Kindergarten Rodeo at 2 p.m. in the OCT cafeteria
Thursday, March 21: 1st Grade Music In Our Schools Celebration at 8:30 a.m. (students/staff) and 6:30 p.m. (parents/guests) in the OCT cafeteria. ALL students are expected to attend the evening performance.
Friday, April 5: Spring Choir performance at 8:30 a.m. in the OCT cafeteria.
Thursday, April 25: 2nd Grade Festival of Friends at 8:30 a.m. (students/staff) and 6:30 p.m. (parents/guests) in the OCT cafeteria. ALL students are expected to attend the evening performance.
Thursday, May 16: 5th Grade Rocks! at 8:30 a.m. (students/staff) and 6:30 p.m. (parents/guests) in the OCT cafeteria. ALL students are expected to attend the evening performance.
Have a rockin' week, Tigers!
Mrs. Vencill
bethany.vencill@gcisd.net
Coach Mester
Mester's PE Press
GT LEAD Mrs. Waters
Mrs. Waters News
GT Testing is the whole month of January, so no GT classes until February. 😞
Testing Dates:
November 27 - December 15 GT Referrals Accepted
January GT Data Collection and Testing
GT LEAD Results available in March
Aspire Results available in April
Articles to help:
Video -Meeting the Affective Needs of Gifted Children
Please feel free to contact me at any time via email at Donna.Waters@gcisd.net
X: @OCTWaters
Mrs. Quinn's Corner
It's cool ❄️ to cozy up with a good book 📚😁 This week looked a little different due to interim testing but when you can't come into the Learning Commons....the Learning Commons comes to you! I surprised several of my kinder, 1st and 2nd grade classes with my mobile book cart filled with books and Makerspace things!
This week my kinder, 1st and 2nd grade friends will get a story about kindness and lots of makerspace time.
My 3rd and 4th grade tigers will get to be my first "taste testers" in a game called "Book Buffet" where they must sample books (by reading the back cover and first few pages) from genres they don't typically check out to see if they can discover new stories to love.
Your child's device (ipads/chromebooks) have excellent reading resources on them! You can view a selection of what your child has available to them here.
If you would like to volunteer to help out at the library, you can use this sign up form. I'm grateful for all my volunteers!
If you have any questions about our library, want to volunteer or donate books and supplies (Check out the Learning Commons Amazon Wishlist), please reach out to me - I'd love to hear from you!
Johanna Quinn, Librarian
Email: johanna.quinn@gcisd.net
X (Twitter): @OCTQuinn
Instagram: @octquinn
OCT Cafeteria
Nutrition News
GCISD NUTRITION SERVICES: Click here to see the school menus.
In accordance with program guidelines, the Free and Reduced application will be available online as part of skyward registration. The free and reduced application should be filled out electronically at https://www.nlappscloud.com/. For those parents that still would like to complete a paper application, they may download an application on the website or stop by the Nutrition Services office at 5800 Colleyville Blvd.
Procedure for Students with Unpaid Meal Charges - Parents/Guardians shall monitor their student’s school meal account to ensure that they always have a positive balance. In the event that a student does not have a positive balance, the student may charge up to 6 meals to their account. Only reimbursable meals may be charged. A la carte items may not be charged. Communication about a negative meal balance will be sent to parents/guardians via email. Students who have exceeded the 6 charged meal limit, will be offered an alternative meal that will be charged to the student’s account.
O.C. Taylor PTA
PTA News
FEBRUARY STAFF APPRECIATION EVENT
Let's show our OCT Staff how much we love them with a buffet of sweet treats! Please sign up to bring an item or two- preferably homemade- to spoil our staff. Please drop all items off by 9am on Thursday, February 15th. We will have a cart at drop off in the morning to receive treats if you want to send them with your child. Please bring items on a disposable tray OR label your tray with your name. Trays will be left in the workroom for pick up. PTA will provide serving utensils. THANK YOU!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080D4AAAAF2BA75-47354692-welove
TALENT SHOW 2024
4th and 5th Grade Tigers- Talent Show submissions are open! Scan the QR code on the flyer to submit your talent show video. Entries due by Friday March 1st. MC Audition Videos due Friday February 16th.
SNOW HILL 2024
Snow Hill will be on Saturday, February 24th this year. Please click the link below to purchase admission for your family!
LIBRARY BOOK DONATIONS
Our library needs books! Ms. Quinn has compiled an Amazon wish list of books that are already approved by the district. Click the link below if you would like to donate.
Ms. Quinn will gladly accept any books, but in particular books with Pokemon, Super Mario/other Nintendo characters, mermaids, books about learning other languages, American Sign Language books and any popular TV characters like Paw Patrol or Shimmer and Shine. She can read through those really quickly and get them on the approval list if they pass the rubric. You can drop book donations in the front office.
JOIN PTA!
💙Join our PTA today!!
🌟 Be sure to sign up your whole family at: https://octaylorpta.membershiptoolkit.com/
WELCOME TO O.C. TAYLOR PTA!
We are so excited to start a new school year! Our goal is to connect with our school community by hosting fun events such as Rock Out, Grandparents Day, Sock Hop and our inaugural Gala Fundraiser. We partner 100% with our wonderful school to make it the very best! We continue to raise funds for much-needed shade structures for our outdoor play areas.
BACK TO SCHOOL FORMS
We've got all your Back to School forms in one spot! Forms were Due Friday, September 1st but you can still pay your Homeroom Fund if you haven't done so yet! You can find all the forms and information on our website: https://octaylorpta.membershiptoolkit.com/
You will want to complete the following:
Homeroom Fund + Class Shirt
PTA Membership (no commitment to volunteer!)
PTA Annual Fuss Free Fundraising
PTA Volunteer Interest Form
Grade Level Parents Form
Join Dads’ Club
Happy Birthday!
CLASS SHIRTS
Class shirts have been delivered. Please contact us if you want to purchase a class shirt. We have limited stock/sizes left. Class Shirts will worn during field trips and can be worn during spirit days this year.
STAFF DRINK FRIDGE
Help us show appreciation to the OCT Staff by keeping the Staff Lounge Drink Fridge stocked with their favorites! If you would like to donate drinks, please see the Sign Up Genius!
Click Here to Sign Up to Donate
Don’t have time to shop but still want to help? You can donate on Membership Toolkit and we will do the shopping for you! Thank you for your generosity!
Click Here for Monetary Donations
GRACE DONATIONS
The February GRACE need is PASTA! Please help by dropping off items in the donation baskets located in your grade level hallway beginning February 1st.
TEACHER FAVORITES
We are working to update all of our staff favorites! Take a look at these lists here: https://octaylorpta.membershiptoolkit.com/favorites Let's spoil our teachers and staff with their favorites all year long!
SAVE THE DATE!
January
1/22 PTA Meet and Greet @ Black Walnut- 9:00a.m.
February
2/2 100th Day of School and Parade
2/5 8:15a.m. PTA Exec Board Meeting
2/14 Class Valentine’s Day Parties
2/15 Staff Appreciation Event- We LOVE Our OCT Staff!
2/16 No School/Inclement Weather Make-Up Days
2/19 Professional Development Day
2/20 Spring Pictures and Class Pictures - Glamourcraft
2/22 Mom’s Night Out- Sloan and Williams- 6:00p.m.
2/23 7:45 a.m. Kinder Rodeo Parade, 2:00 p.m. Kindergarten Rodeo
2/24 Dad’s Club Annual Snow Hill
March
3/4 8:15 a.m. PTA Executive Board Meeting
3/7 Staff Appreciation Event- Sip Sip Hooray
3/7 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. Wax Museum
3/7 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Open House
3/8 Rule the School AND All-Stars Spirit Rally/Attendance Recognition 2:15 p.m.
3/11 - 3/15 Spring Break
3/21 1st Grade MIOSM program - 8:30 a.m.. and 6:30 p.m. AND PTA General Meeting (Spirit Shop, Vote on 24-25 Officer Slate, Vote on Budget Amendments)
3/25 Party with the Principals 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
3/26 Talent Show Viewing Party at LOOK Cinema
3/25 - 3/29 Literati Book Fair
3/29 Holiday - No School
April
4/1 8:15 a.m. PTA Executive Board Meeting
4/11 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. Sock Hop
4/15 No School/Inclement Weather Make-Up Day
4/16 Kindergarten ABC Countdown Begins
4/23 Game On: 5:30-6:00 p.m. - K-2, 6:00-6:30 p.m. - 3rd-5th
4/25 Staff Appreciation Event- Lettuce Show our Appreciation
4/26 7:40 a.m. Egg Drop Entries Due
4/22 - 4/26 Earth Week
4/25 2nd Grade Festival of Friends 2:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
4/26 7:40 a.m. Egg Drop Entries Due
4/26 Egg Drop- 3:15p.m.
May
5/6 - 5/10 Staff Appreciation Week
5/6 PTA Executive Board Brunch/Luncheon
5/10 Field Day
5/13 Field Day (Makeup Day)
5/16 8:30 am and 6:30 pm 5th Grade Rocks & PTA General Meeting
5/22 8:00 a.m. All-Stars Spirit Rally/Attendance Recognition
5/23 9:00 a.m. 5th Grade Continuation Ceremony
5/23 11:45 am PreK - 5th Early Release/Last Day of School for Students
BIRTHDAYS AT O.C. TAYLOR
We love to celebrate birthdays BIG at O.C. Taylor! We provide two options to purchase through our PTA to help celebrate:
Name In Lights - Your child's name on our marquee for the day - $25
Tiger Gram with Taylor the Tiger - Have Taylor the Tiger deliver a goody bag and balloons to your child's classroom - $40
Save $5 and purchase BOTH for $60.
Please purchase these AT LEAST two weeks in advance. We cannot promise our availability if not purchased in advance. Purchase on our website https://octaylorpta.membershiptoolkit.com/
If you have any questions or need assistance of any kind, please don't hesitate to reach out!
Looking forward to a GRRREAT year!
Julie Odietus
President / O.C. Taylor PTA
octaylorptapresident@gmail.com